Welcome to Gaia! ::

Beckett smiled, twirling a few times in place as the sounds, smells, and sights of Platform 9 3/4 assaulted her senses. Owls hooted, students shouted to friends across the platform, trolleys clanged, and the smoke hissed softly from the train. Nothing rivaled the feeling of seeing sunlight glinting of the Hogwart's Express's bright scarlet exterior, all the while knowing that in a few short minutes that crimson train would be taking her back to the most magical place she'd ever been...no pun intended, of course. Taking a deep breath, Beck sighed with contentment and grabbed her trolley, pushing the heavy trunk on it across the platform and toward the train. Unable to contain her excitement, she skipped slightly for a moment, uncaring of the odd and amused looks she was sure to be getting.

"Hurry the bloody up!" Layla shouted. Her twin sister, Kayla, trailed slowly behind her, reluctant to leave her parents' side. The Hogwarts Express would be departing soon, and they had to be on at all costs. Once they arrived at the pillar which served as the barrier between platforms 9, 9 3/4, and 10. The family of four quickly stepped through and then found themselves standing next to the majestic Hogwarts Express.

"Oh, you kids will do just fine!" Jeanne, their mother exclaimed happily, tears in her eyes. "Don't worry, Mother! We'll visit on all the breaks!" Kayla, the younger of the twins replied just as emotionally. Their father said his goodbyes as well and they both waved to their children as they climbed up the steps. Their trunks and animals had all been packed away and they now faced the task of finding an empty compartment to stay in. Looking around the narrow corridor, Layla and Kayla hoped to find someone they could stay with.

---

"Get your fat bum in there, Shina!" Danielle grunted, trying to shove her large cat into a wicker carrying case. Shina usually travels outside, walking next to her, but for this trip, she would have to stay inside her cage. Shina meowed, clearly annoyed. After one final heave, the black and white cat relented and crawled inside reluctantly. "Finally!" Danielle sighed, wiping her brow. Smiling, she placed Shina's cage on top of her trolley and made her way over to the barrier of Platform 9 3/4.

Her sister had gone early to catch up with some of her friends, and her parents wanted her to do this alone. Almost like a rite of maturity. Great step for an 11 year old. Once Danielle had phased through the barrier, she was immediately welcomed to the bustling platform of the Hogwarts Express. Smiling to herself, she loaded up her trunk and Shina's cage and stepped inside. The narrow corridor of the was full and she had a bit of trouble manuerving inside. A bit shy at first, Danielle wondered if anyone would want to sit with her...

---

Rivner stood alone on Platform 9 3/4, gazing silently up at the scarlet train that would take him to his new home. His father unfortunately couldn't make it, for Flourish and Botts was quite busy. Rivner was used to being alone, however. Ever since his mother passed away. He hummed nonchalantly and handed his trunks to the train helpers. Marge, his bright pink pygmy puff, bounced happily on his shoulders and he pushed his sandy bangs out of his face. His blank expression wasn't new, never any other emotions other than disgust of dirt and grime or a peaceful bliss.

The train blew its whistle unceremoniously and he clambered awkwardly aboard. His first expression was that of disgust. How did they expect so many kids to stay comfortably on the train? Large as the compartments were, Rivner didn't think it was quite sanitary. Sighing heavily, he found an empty one and sat down. Marge floated around comfortingly and he hoped very much that no one would want to share compartments with him.

"Oh, here's one...erm, its sort of empty?" Kayla said softly, tugging her sister's sleeve. She pointed at a compartment with only one girl in it. "Awesome!" Layla smiled broadly. Sliding the door open, she asked the girl, "Hello! Mind if we share a compartment with you?" Kayla waved a bit and smiled a little. Without even waiting for her reply, Layla said, "Okay, great!" The two twins shuffled inside and slid the door shut again.

"Hello, my name's Layla!" Layla plopped down on the seat across from Kairi and said cheerfully. Kayla sat down next to her and said quietly, "I'm Kayla...whats your name?"

Layla and Kayla shook Kairi's hand, one after another. "Its a pleasure to meet you, Kairi. I didn't think we'd meet or even talk to any older kids..." Kayla said quietly. She blushed a little when she found out that the first person they'd meet would be an older student.

"Heh, we're just first years," Layla said a bit proud. She didn't think that being a few years younger was much difference.

Edit; Godammit, I gotta go. DDDDX

Sighing irritably, Elizabeth Swanson strode swiftly through the barrier to Platform 9 3/4, pointedly ignoring the overly cheerful chatter of her 36 year-old cousin Neil. He had come to drop her off as her father was busy working on covering up some escaped dragons up near Carlisle, and her mother was in the middle of brewing some complex potion that required her to stir it three times clockwise and once counterclockwise every thirty minutes. She rolled her eyes as he caught up with her on the platform and slung and arm jovially around her shoulders, his amber eyes twinkling merrily. "You know, Bitty--"

Stopping short, Elizabeth spun around to face her cousin. "Don't you dare," she hissed dangerously. "I learned quite a few good hexes last year that I've been dying to try out."

"Now, now. That's no way to treat your dear old cousin, who so generously offered to bring you here, as your parents are otherwise occupied... I do have a life too, you know. Poor Seireadan is probably pining for me at this very moment..." He dramatically brushed an imaginary tear from his eye. Briskly, his manner changed and he lifted her trunk, going up the first set of stairs he found. "Now, I do hope you don't really plan on hexing anyone, that might put a bit of a damper on our plans for next summer, and neither of us wants that, so you be a good girl and don't forget to write."

Trying desperately to control her temper, Elizabeth settled for glaring fiercely at him, pretending that she had the power to burn holes through the back of his head with her eyes. It was oddly satisfying, and prevented her strangling him as he tipped his cap and kissed the top of her dark head before hopping off the train to wave with all the other students' relatives.


Celeste Maguire looked nervously at the very solid barrier between Platforms 9 and 10 as she walked towards it with her grandmother. "Gran... Gran, are you absolutely sure this is where it is?" She asked, worried that they might both wind up in the hospital with concussions is she were wrong.

Frowning, her grandmother replied, "Yes, I'm quite sure dear. If you're nervous, you might want to go at it running. If you doubt yourself, you will crash. I saw it happen once, poor bloke nearly killed himself; dashed at the barrier like a madman, and started having second thoughts a second too late..."

Glancing around, Celeste noticed a good number of people staring. "Gran, keep your voice down, please... She checked the basket that carried her baby, a small ginger cat. It was fastened securely, so she readied herself, and ran at the barrier when there was an opening in the crowd. Her eyes were squeezed tight, and she didn't even realize she had passed the barrier until someone shouted at her. Blue orbs opened quickly as she automatically apologized, and then she blushed. She had almost run over a gorgeous young man with golden hair and eyes. "Sorry..." She muttered, steering her cart away from him as her grandmother reappeared beside her.

Murmuring something inaudible that should have been "Excuse me", Kairi walked out into the corridor to see what was happening and get some air.

As the train wasn't moving, most people were hanging out the doors leading to the hall or out the window talking to their families.

Carefully making her way through the crowd, she came to the end of the train where a group of people were standing.

Coming to a stop, Kairi knew immediately that coming out here was a mistake.
She quickly turned around, hoping they didn't see her but was mistaken.

"Hey! Hey Myana. Did you have a good summer, you stupid Ravenclaw?"

Kairi turned and faced the girl who spoke.
It was a big Slytherin and she was with a group of her fellow Slytherins.
These people were always the ones who teased Kairi, and who she always tried to avoid.

"Well if I really was stupid then I'd be in Slytherin and not Ravenclaw, wouldn't I?"

Before they could retaliate, Kairi quickly turned and ran as fast as she could through the crowd and back to the other side of the train to go back into her tension filled but safe compartment.


"Sorry.. um.. bathroom... so anyway um... what classes are you guys erm... looking forward to.....?"